A SHADOWY group called the Chinese Martyrs’ Brigade claimed responsibility for the disappearance of Flight MH370 — but officials were sceptical and said the claim could be a hoax.

The group — unheard of before now — on Sunday sent an email to journalists across China that read: “You kill one of our clan, we will kill 100 of you as pay back,” but the message provided no details of what brought the flight down.

Five booked passengers failed to show up for the flight, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Other troubling details emerged when a telephone operator on a China-based hotline for KLM airlines confirmed Sunday that the passengers travelling with the stolen passports had booked one-way tickets on the same KLM flight from Beijing to Amsterdam on Saturday.